Vision-assisted hand tools

ABSTRACT

A hand tool has two digital video cameras mounted thereon adjacent to a working end of the tool for viewing a work site, which video cameras are connected to a pair of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) mounted on the tool proximate a control end of the tool. The hand tool includes a barrel with a handle at the control end and a control operator for activating the tool, wherein the control operator is in operative relationship with the handle and wherein the working end of the tool is positioned at the end of the barrel opposite the control end of the tool. In an illustrated example, the cameras and LCDs are mounted on a pneumatic nut runner with a T-head tool drive.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to hand tools, and more particularly,to hand tools having vision assistance that enhances use of the tool atotherwise obscured work sites.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Occasionally during the design of products, such as automotive vehicles,the placement of fasteners is such that the placement results in a blindor awkward installation procedure for the installer of the fastener.This situation can result in the need to design unique tools and canresult in the frustration and fatigue of installers as they cope withthe inconvenience of not being able to see what they are doing. Atworst, a “no build condition” may result. This may require redesign ofthat portion of the automotive vehicle where the vision problem occurs.Many redesigns affect more vehicle structure than just the work site atissue and can negatively affect and change assembly and repairprocedures, thus increasing the cost of a vehicle and contributing todelay of a vehicle's commercial distribution. It is therefore desirableto retain both the production design of vehicles and to retain handtools that production line workers are familiar with using.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforementioned considerations, the present invention isdirected to a hand tool having two video cameras mounted thereonadjacent to a working end of the tool for observing a work site in realtime, which video cameras are connected to a pair of liquid crystaldisplays mounted on the tool proximate a control end of the tool forviewing the work site in real time.

In a further aspect of the invention, the hand tool comprises a barrelwith a handle at the control end having a control operator foractivating the tool, wherein the control operator is in operativerelationship with the handle and wherein the working end of the tool ispositioned at the end of the barrel opposite the control end of thetool.

In a still further aspect of the invention, the pair of cameras aremounted on a mounting plate having a clamping portion that is clamped tothe barrel inboard of the working end, which mounting plate has openingstherethrough for lenses of the cameras and mountings thereon forattaching the cameras to the plate for orienting the focus of the lensesin the direction of the work site.

In a still further aspect of the invention, the tool is a pneumatictool, wherein compressed air is applied to the tool through an openingin the handle to power a pneumatic motor that is connected to a driveshaft which extends through the barrel to the working end of the tool tooperate a tool drive.

In still a further aspect of the invention, the tool drive is connectedto the drive shaft by a T-head so as to direct power transversely of thedrive shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other features and attendant advantages of the present inventionwill be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understoodwhen considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in whichlike reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughoutthe several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a hand tool configured inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a working end of the hand tool;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of cameras mounted proximate theworking end of the hand tool, and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the back of a housing mounting a pair of liquidcrystal displays shown in FIG. 1 and containing circuit boards fordriving the displays.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, a hand tool 10 has a working end 12 and acontrol end 14 joined by a barrel portion 15. The working end 12 has atool drive 16 for rotation about a drive axis 18. In the illustratedembodiment, the tool drive 16 is configured as a square stud 20 whichmates with a socket 22, or other tool, to rotate a nut (not shown)mounted on a bolt (not shown). The nut and bolt are disposed at a worksite which is obscured by other structures. For example, the work sitemay be on or in an automotive vehicle having structural portions whichobscure the work site from the view. In a specific example, the worksite may be a battery tray within the vehicle. By utilizing a threadedmember and a retainer in the form of a nut, a retaining edge or tab atthe bottom of the battery is secured to the battery tray. The socket 22is rotated by the stud 20 to fasten the retainer on the threadedfastener. Since the work site is obscured, threading the retainer on thethreaded member is difficult without the visual assistance of thepresent invention.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of lenses 30 and 32 are disposed onopposite sides of the axis 18 to provide observation of the work siteand the targeted nut or fastener in real time. As is seen in FIG. 3, thelenses 30 and 32 are associated with video camera circuit boards 34 and36 which have digital circuitry thereon. The lenses 30 and 32 areavailable packaged with the circuit boards 34 and 36 from MatsushitaElectric under the Panasonic tradename and are each designated as partnumber GP-KX121/51.

As is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lenses 30 and 32 and the printedcircuit boards 34 and 36 are mounted on a panel 37 which is to theworking end 12 of the hand tool 10 with a C-clamp 38 and which hasopenings therethrough 16 a, 30 a and 32 a aligned with the tool drive16, the first lens 30 and the second lens 32. A U-shaped shield 39 fitsover the circuit boards 34 and 36 and over back portions of the lenses30 and 32 to protect the circuit boards and lenses from damage.

As is seen in FIG. 1, images from the video camera circuit boards 34 and36 are transmitted via connector cables 40 in a sheath 42 to a pair ofliquid crystal displays (LCDs) 44 and 46 which are mounted on a housing48 that is secured to the barrel portion 15 of the hand tool 10 forviewing the work site in real time. Further, as is seen in FIG. 4, theLCD liquid crystal displays 44 and 46 are connected to LCD circuits 50and 52 within the housing 48. The circuits 50 and 52 are mounted onpairs of perpendicularly disposed printed circuit boards 54 and 56, onefor each of the LCDs 44 and 46 so as to provide space within the housing44 to receive the barrel portion 15 of the hand tool 10. The LCDs 50 and52 and associated circuits 50 and 52 on circuit boards 54 and 56 areavailable from ACCELVISION and designated as part number LCD25M.

As is seen in FIG. 4, the housing 48 is clamped to the barrel portion 15of the tool 10 by a C-clamp 60 that is held by bolts 61 and 62 whichthread into the wall of the housing so as to secure the housing inplace. As is seen in FIG. 1, preferably a jack 66 for a power supply 67is mounted on or in the housing 48 and is connected by a power supplycable 68 to the power supply, which is preferably a battery 70. In thisway, the tool 10 is not burdened by the weight of the power supply 70for the camera circuit boards 34 and 36 and the LCD circuits 50 and 52.

In the illustrated embodiment, the control end 14 shown in FIG. 1comprises a handle 74 with an actuator 76 pivoted thereon. Upon pressingthe actuator lever 76 with one's thumb, air pressure is provided throughthe end 80 of the operating handle 74 to power a pneumatic motor (notshown) within the barrel portion 15 of the hand tool 10. The pneumaticmotor rotates a drive shaft which is connected via a gear to the rotarystud 20 by using a T-head connection 90.

As is seen in the illustrated embodiment, the optical system comprisingthe cameras 34 and 36, the liquid crystal displays 44 and 46 are mountedon the barrel 15 of the hand tool 10 so that the axis 18 is oblique withrespect to the plane defined by the face of the liquid crystal displays44 and 46. The clamp 60 mounting the housing 48 supporting liquidcrystal displays 44 and 46 can be loosened so that the housing 48 isrotatable about the axis of the hand tool 10 to be oriented at anydesired angular position with respect to the tool drive axis 18 and theactuator 76 on handle 74. Consequently, optical viewing of the work siteis facilitated by ergonomically positioning the liquid crystal displays44 and 46 with respect to the actuator 76 and the axis 18 of the drivingstud 20 and socket 22.

If the work site is dark, the hand tool 10 can include supplementalillumination at the working end 12 by providing an attached light bulb(not shown) or LED (not shown).

An existing hand tool 10 configured as a pneumatic tool, such as apneumatic nut runner available from Cleco Air Tools and identified as“55 series T-head 28 to 170 NM,” is used as a preferred tool with whichthe present work site viewing arrangement is utilized. However, handtools of other configurations, such as but not limited to, electricallypowered tools or manually powered tools, having other functions such asdriving screws, riveting, hammering, etc. can be configured to utilizethe work site viewing arrangement of the present invention.

From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easilyascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changesand modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages andconditions.

1. A hand tool for performing work at an obscured work site comprising:a tool body having a working end and a control end displaced from oneanother, the working end having a tool drive for operation with respectto a drive axis and for activation by operation of a control at thecontrol end; at least one camera positioned at a camera site located atthe working end to provide an image of work being performed, and adisplay positioned proximate the control end for receiving anddisplaying in real time the image of the work being performed.
 2. Thetool of claim 1 wherein there are two digital video cameras, each havinga lens disposed on opposite sides of the tool drive, and wherein thedisplay comprises two LCD screens, one associated with each digitalcamera for viewing in real time images from opposite sides of the workstation.
 3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the display is positionedbetween the working end and drive end of the tool with connector cablesextending between the cameras and the display.
 4. The tool of claim 3wherein a power connector is provided for connecting the display to aremote source of current for the display and the cameras.
 5. The tool ofclaim 4 wherein the tool comprises a barrel with a handle at the controlend and an actuator in association with the handle for activating thetool.
 6. The tool of claim 5 wherein the tool is powered pneumaticallyby an air pressure line entering the tool through the handle andpowering the tool drive through a pneumatic motor disposed in the barrelwhich is connected by a drive shaft to the tool drive.
 7. The tool ofclaim 6 wherein the tool drive is oriented transverse to the drive shaftand lens of each of the cameras is oriented to focus in the samedirection as the axis of the tool drive.
 8. The tool of claim 7 whereinthe cameras are mounted on a mounting panel that has an openingtherethrough which receives the tool drive, the panel having a clampthereon for clamping the panel to the barrel, the panel having lensopenings therethrough and two camera mounts thereon for securing thecamera thereto with the lens of each camera aligned with the lensopenings.
 9. The tool of claim 8 wherein the mounting panel has aprotective shield attached thereto which overlies the cameras.
 10. Thetool of claim 5 wherein a housing is provided for containing circuitryconnected to outputs from the digital video cameras for driving the LCDscreens, the housing having a clamp thereon for securing the housing tothe barrel of the tool between the control and working ends of the tool.11. A hand tool for performing work at an obscured work site comprising:a tool body having a working end and a control end displaced from oneanother, the working end having a tool drive for rotation about a driveaxis activated by operation of a control at the control end; two digitalvideo cameras positioned at a camera site located at the working end,each digital camera having a lens disposed on opposite sides of the tooldrive to provide an image of work being performed at the work site, anda display comprising two LCD screens, one associated with each camera;the two LCD screens being positioned proximate the control end of thetool for receiving and displaying in real time images of the work beingperformed in front of and from opposite sides of the tool drive.
 12. Thetool of claim 11 wherein the display is positioned between the workingend and drive end of the tool with connector cables extending betweenthe cameras and displays.
 13. The tool of claim 12 wherein a powerconnector for connecting the display to a remote battery is provided atthe display for connection to a remote source of current for energizingthe display and cameras.
 14. The tool of claim 13 wherein the toolcomprises a barrel with a handle at the control end axially displacedfrom the display and an actuator in association with the handle foractivating the tool.
 15. The tool of claim 14 wherein the tool ispowered pneumatically by an air pressure line entering the tool throughthe handle and powering the drive with a pneumatic motor disposed in thebarrel which is connected by a drive shaft to the tool drive.
 16. Thetool of claim 15 wherein the tool drive is oriented transverse to thedrive shaft and the lenses of the cameras are oriented to focus in thesame direction as the axis of the tool drive.
 17. The tool of claim 16wherein the cameras are mounted on a mounting plate that has an openingtherethrough which receives the tool drive; the mounting plate having aclamp thereon for clamping the plate to the barrel, lens openingstherethrough and two camera circuit mounts thereon for securing cameracircuits thereto with the lenses of the cameras aligned with the lensopenings.
 18. The tool of claim 17 wherein the mounting plate has aprotective shield attached thereto which overlies the camera circuits.19. The tool of claim 14 wherein a housing is provided for containing apair of LCD circuits each connected to an output from one of the videocameras for driving one of the LCD screens, the housing having a C-clampthereon for adjustably securing the housing to the barrel of the toolbetween the control and working ends of the tool in angular positionswith respect to the axis of the tool drive.
 20. The tool of claim 19wherein each of the LCD circuits is comprised of two circuit boards thatare oriented transversely with respect to one another in the housing tolocate the circuitry on opposite side walls and a bottom wall of thehousing, thus providing a central space in the housing which is open toreceive the barrel of the hand tool therethrough with the two screens onthe housing displaced radially from the barrel on a front side of thehousing.